We are seeking an experienced, hands-on General Manager to lead the pre-opening and launch of a brand-new Cambria Hotel in Burlington, Vermont. This is a rare ground-floor opportunity to build a hotel and its culture from the studs up, hiring and training the founding team, standing up all operational systems, and establishing the property as a premier urban lifestyle destination in downtown Burlington. The ideal candidate has led multiple hotel openings before, thrives in ambiguity, and is energized by the unique intensity of a pre-opening timeline.
Job Description
We are seeking an experienced, hands-on General Manager to lead the pre-opening and launch of a brand-new Cambria Hotel in Burlington, Vermont. This is a rare ground-floor opportunity to build a hotel and its culture from the studs up, hiring and training the founding team, standing up all operational systems, and establishing the property as a premier urban lifestyle destination in downtown Burlington. The ideal candidate has led multiple hotel openings before, thrives in ambiguity, and is energized by the unique intensity of a pre-opening timeline.
Work Performed
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Lead all phases of hotel pre-opening: budgeting, staffing plans, systems setup, vendor and municipal coordination, punch-list walkthroughs, and readiness for a Spring 2027 opening.
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Recruit, hire, and train a complete founding leadership team and hourly staff across rooms, F&B, and support departments, instilling Cambria brand standards and a strong service culture from day one.
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Oversee the planning and launch of 1–2 F&B outlets, working closely with the F&B leader on concept execution, staffing, licensing, and opening-week operations.
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Own the property's P&L, including pre-opening budget management, labor planning, and post-opening revenue and expense performance.
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Partner with Sales to build a pre-opening sales and marketing strategy, generate early group and corporate business, and support rate strategy heading into the local market.
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Ensure the hotel is positioned to compete effectively as an urban, downtown property, understanding local demand generators, competitive set dynamics, and the needs of both business and leisure travelers in Burlington.
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Establish and maintain relationships with Choice Hotels brand representatives, local officials, community organizations, and key vendors.
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Build out standard operating procedures, safety programs, and quality-assurance protocols in line with Choice Hotels / Cambria brand standards.
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Serve as the primary on-site representative of ownership, providing regular reporting and updates through the pre-opening process and beyond.
Requirements
- Boutique or lifestyle hotel pre-opening experience on at least 3 prior hotel openings, ideally in a General Manager, Assistant General Manager, or senior operations leadership role
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Minimum 3 years of experience as a Food & Beverage Manager or Director of Food & Beverage, with direct oversight of outlet operations, staffing, and P&L.
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1–2 years of hotel sales experience, with a working knowledge of group, corporate, and transient business development.
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Familiarity with urban, downtown, or gateway-city hotel operations and the distinct market dynamics of an urban lifestyle property
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Proven ability to build teams and culture from the ground up under a compressed pre-opening timeline
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Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and P&L management.
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Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills, with experience working alongside ownership groups and brand representatives.
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Working knowledge of Choice Hotels / Cambria brand standards is a plus, but not required.
Additional Preferred Skills/Qualities
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Strong attention to detail
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Second language is a plus, preferably Spanish or French
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A builder's mindset — comfortable with ambiguity, fast decision-making, and wearing multiple hats during pre-opening
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Genuine enthusiasm for Burlington and the Vermont market, with an eye toward community engagement and local partnerships.
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A collaborative leadership style that inspires a new team and sets the tone for the hotel's long-term culture
Compensation
$130,000 - $150,000 Annually Plus Bonus Incentive
Benefits
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Earned paid time off
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Employer-contribution medical/dental/vision insurance
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Optional life insurance
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Short term/Long term disability
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Optional 401k with employer match
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Employee discounts at participating hotels
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Option to sign up for on-demand pay with DailyPay
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Refer a friend – get paid extra when they join our team!
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Bonuses for name recognition and guest score
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Opportunities to grow – one of the fastest-growing hotel companies
How To Apply
Apply HERE. Applications submitted by any other channel will not be considered.
About Giri Hotels Headquartered in Quincy, MA, Giri Hotels owns and operates more than 50 hotels in New England. We are a growing company that embraces change, maintains a service mindset, and prioritizes the 'big rocks' - our most impactful tasks and projects. At our core, Giri Hotels is a hospitality company, and all members of our team share a sense of cooperation and respect with our guests and one another. You are right for the team if you are:
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Happy – nice to be around and friendly
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Humble – willing to learn
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Helpful – team player, always willing to pitch in, looking for ways to be productive
Giri Hotel Management has been recognized for its growth in the hospitality industry. We are proud to have achieved #23 on the Top Owners & Developers list and #55 on the Top Management Companies list in Hotel Business's annual rankings. These rankings, based on the annual revenues and number of rooms and properties managed, demonstrate our company's continuing expansion and growth.
Watch A Brief Video To Learn More About Us Giri Hotels provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
